Telephone attachment



Jan. 10, 1933. R. F. FARMER TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT Filed April 14. 1931 I I'll Patented Jan. 10, 1933 PATENT OFFIQE ROBERT F. FARMER, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT Application filed April 14, 1931.

This invention relates to a telephone attachment.

One object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character described adapted to be applied to any conventional type of telephone, said attachment carrying electric light equipment, which embodies an electric light globe and a switch, said switch being normally held open by the receiver or its hanger-hook, and being arranged to close when the receiver is lifted from said hanger to illuminate the electric light globe.

The attachment is designed as an automatic telephone light specially to be used on a dial telephone for illuminating the dial in cases where the telephone is located in a dark room or where other light is not available, and for other illuminating purposes.

A further feature of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character described that can be readily applied to any conventional type of telephone without injuring or marring the telephone and without affecting the operation thereof, and which may be bodily detached from the telephone.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of a conventional stand type telephone, shown partly in section, and showing the attachment applied thereto and also shown partly in section.

Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the attachment taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a front elevation of a conventional type of telephone commonly known as the hand set or French type, showing the attachment applied thereto partly in section, and

Figure 4 shows a sectional View of a pre ferred type of switch to be employed.

Referrin now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures,

Serial No. 529,921.

the numeral 1 designates the stand of a conventional type of dial phone, which upstands from the base 2. Around this stand, and substantially coextensive in length therewith, there is a sleeve 3. This sleeve is preferably formed of rubber or other, similar material, and is split at the point 1. on one side, longitudinally from end to end, and opposite this open side of the sleeve it has an inside lengthwise groove 5 to provide wiring space and also to weaken the sleeve so that it may be sprung open and fitted around the stand 1. lVhen in position on the stand, the sleeve may be secured in place by any suitable type of releasable fasteners as 6.

The upper portion 7 of the sleeve 3 thickened outwardly and is equipped with an electric light globe socket 8 in which an electric light globe 9 maybe secured in the usual way. Above the globe, a suitable reflector as 10 may be provided, if desired, lViring 11 may be connected with a suitable source of electrical energy as 12and this wiring passes up through the groove 5 forming an electrical circuit into which the globe 9 is connected and incorporated into this circuit there is a suitable switch 13 preferably of the plunger type as shown more in detail in Figure 4 and through which the circuit through the light globe may be completed or broken. The outwardly thickened portion 7 of the sleeve 3 is provided to give the necessary material for mounting the light socket, the reflector and the switch above referred to. The switch 13 comprises a cylinder 14, a plunger 15 mounted on a spring 16 and upstanding from the plunger there is a stem 17.

When the phone is not in use, the receiver hanger 18 will be held by the receiver in lower position and the said hanger will operate against the stem 17 to hold the plunger 15 out of contact with the wiring 11 and the circuit through the light globe 9 will be broken. lVhen the receiver is lifted from the hanger 18, said hanger will release the stem 17 and thereupon the spring 16 will elevate the plunger 15 into position to complete the circuit through the wiring 11 and the light 9 will be illuminated. The dial 19 will thereby be illuminated, for use.

its

In the form shown'in Figure 3, the sleeve 3' is substantiall similar to the sleeve 3 but is made shorter or the reason that the stand 1 is shorter than in the type shown in Figure 1. In the type shown in Figure 3, the attachment is equipped with the electric light globe 9 is wired as in the form shown in Figure 1 and equipped with the reflector 10. In this type the switch 13 is employed and is of the 13 same construction and operable in the same manner as the switch shown in Figure 1.

The wiring 11, in each form, may be provided with a suitable transformer 20 so as to supply only the desired voltage to the globe 9. 15 The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claim. 53 What I claim is:

An attachment for a telephone comprising a sleeve shaped to fit around the telephone stand and being of a length to enclose the stand substantially from end to end open at 250116 side, an inside lengthwise groove in the sleeve, an electric light socket and an electric switch carried by said sleeve, an electric light globe in said socket, current conductors within said groove and forming a circuit into which said socket and switch are connected, means normally holding the switch open when the receiver is on the hanger of the telephone and means arranged to close the switch when said receiver is lifted. CI? In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT F. FARMER. 

